Surf's Up

Exclusive DVD extra: "Shredder"

The mockumentary form goes CGI in this animated underdog (or, rather, underpenguin) sports story about a surf-mad loner (Shia LaBeouf) from an Antarctic backwater who gets mentored by a tropical hippie hermit (Jeff Bridges doing The Dude from "The Big Lebowski" as a hang-10 sensei). Spoofing the conventions of the extreme-sports documentary and reality TV, it's a familiar story with a lesson in humility and sportsmanship directed with an amiable sense of humor and a fun run of sight gags. Its greatest triumph is technical: animated water never looked so dramatic or convincing. The animator's-eye journey through massive walls of water, magnificent curls, crashing waves and lapping surf makes for the greatest surf spectacle never filmed. Features the voices of Zooey Deschanel, Jon Heder (as Chicken Joe, the Jeff Spicoli of poultry surf bums), and James Woods. Also features the Oscar-winning short "The ChubbChubbs" and the all-new sequel "The ChubbChubbs Save Xmas," as well as the making-of featurette "Not a Drop of Real Water," filmmaker commentary, and interactive games and activities among the kid-friendly supplements. Available in separate wide-screen and full-screen editions, and in Blu-ray format.